Maque Choux
A classic Cajun smothered corn dish made by scraping fresh corn kernels and their milky juice into a skillet with butter, onions, and peppers, then cooking until sweet, slightly caramelized, and tender. Simple, comforting, and uniquely Louisianan.
Ingredients
- 8 ears ears of fresh corn (or 4 cups frozen corn kernels), kernels scraped, juices reserved
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 3 green onions, sliced
Instructions
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1
If using fresh corn: stand each of 8 ears ears of fresh corn (or 4 cups frozen corn kernels) in a deep bowl and use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cob. Then scrape the back of the knife down the cob to extract the milky corn juice. Set aside kernels and juice together.
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2
Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced yellow onion and 1 finely diced green bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelize, about 8 minutes.
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3
Add 3 cloves minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute. Stir in corn kernels with their juices. Add 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tsp granulated sugar.
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4
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes until the corn is tender and turning golden in spots. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream and stir to combine.
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5
Continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the cream is absorbed and the mixture is creamy but not soupy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with 3 sliced green onions and serve hot.